A Second Attempt
by FieldOfPaperFlowers
Summary: Another Nathaniel Lives fanfic. Kitty and Jane have to work together to get Nathaniel and Bartimaeus back. R&R, please. ABANDONED
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Bartimaeus Trilogy. If I did, Nathaniel wouldn't have died. Obviously. **

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**~Ch. 1~**

_Kitty_

Kitty skimmed through another of Mr. Button's books about Ptolemy's works. The effects of Ptolemy's Gate had all but worn off, and she was as good as new, but even with her regeneration, she hadn't the energy to read through the entire manuscript again. She was looking for something about ways to get to the Other Place besides Ptolemy's Gate --- but so far she'd had no luck.

In reality, though, if she was honest with herself, this wasn't the only reason that she'd immersed herself within the magician's collection. It had been several months since Nathaniel and Bartimaeus had died, and truthfully, she still hadn't come to terms with that. Nathaniel had promised her…

But they couldn't find his body, and he had been declared dead. There was no way he could have survived, they said; the body must have simply disintegrated with the sheer force of the Staff's power.

Much to Kitty's irritation, all of the remaining Council members had taken that at face value. None disputed it, likely because it made sense, logically. But with Bartimaeus _and_ Nathaniel in the body at once, it seemed like the two combined should have been able to find some way to escape before the Glass Palace collapsed upon Nouda.

However viable the Council's advice was, Kitty refused to accept that the pair was gone. She was so sure that there had to be some way for them to come back, somehow. But it had been, what, three or four months now? She was losing her sense of certainty. Maybe…maybe they were…

_No_. The Council had given up; she would not. She reopened the book with a newfound resolve. Unfortunately, she recognized the entries on the ancient pages: she had already gone through this one numerous times. Mr. Button had a large collection, but there were precious few books on Ptolemy and the Other Place. She needed to visit the library.

The bus ride took minutes. Kitty nearly incapacitated the elderly lady beside her in her urgency to enter the library. The library she went to was one of the largest in the city, but she came so often for Mr. Button that she already knew her way around. Even the librarians recognized and greeted her as she passed. (This is not to say that she responded.)

Kitty found the section she needed quickly. Since most people completely disregarded the efforts of Ptolemy, she was able to find what she needed. She piled a few of the books into a stack in her arms. As she turned the corner, she accidentally collided with someone. As Kitty bent to collect her dropped collection, she glanced upward at the person she'd unintentionally assaulted. The person was wearing a cloak, with the hood up. His —or her, she couldn't really tell— face was concealed in shadow.

This inscrutable person --- while Kitty was sure that they had never met, something about him (or her) seemed mysteriously familiar. Picking up the last book off the floor, the person held it slightly out of reach.

"I know what you are looking for," said a feminine voice from underneath the hood. "I, too, search for someone lost. Perhaps we can help each other."

Kitty was intrigued, but not enough to listen to a stranger chatter. "I'm sure we've never met, and I need to go." Kitty took back her book and attempted to step past, but the person blocked her path.

The person coughed; it sounded almost awkward. "I apologize for your confusion, but it's best if no one knew I was talking with you. And I disagree: we have met." The person lifted the hood back slightly from her head, revealing the face underneath.

Kitty barely managed to conceal her inner displeasure. "Ms. Farrar." The magician nodded coolly. Kitty fixed her eyes on her. "Er, what do you want?"

Jane pursed her lips, doubtless from the torment of having to speak with a commoner. "I…have contacts, and they tell me that you do not accept Mr. Mandrake's death." Kitty eyed her suspiciously and nodded coolly. "It would be…. _beneficial_….for myself as well as for you, if you are correct. Therefore, I would like to make you an offer."

Kitty brushed past her. "I'm not interested in dealing with magicians, thanks." Jane somehow was able not only to keep up with Kitty, but also to bar her way for the second time. Kitty looked up at her in annoyance. "You know, this is _not_ the way to get on my good side."

Jane allowed a half-smile. "Perhaps not. However, I don't need your goodwill so much as your attention."

Kitty raised an eyebrow. "Well, you've got it. What do you want?"

Jane drew a book from within the depths of her cloak. "If you have not given up your search for Mr. Mandrake, I have something that may be of some interest." Kitty could not read the title, which was in some foreign language. "But this is in ancient Egyptian, and I don't suppose you can read or translate it. I can help you in that area."

Kitty drew herself up to her full height of five feet five inches. "What makes you think I want your help? If I remember correctly, the last time we met, you were, ah, less than pleased to work hand-in-hand with me."

Jane smiled charmingly. "This time I can try to be agreeable. As said previously, Mr. Mandrake is of use to me. This book" --- here she held it out tantalizingly--- "will bring him back to earth, if he is able to come."

Kitty's eyes followed the document. "It could bring him back?" she asked uncertainly, her anti-Jane resolve wavering.

Jane was aware of this, and her smile widened. "It has the potential."

Kitty sighed and stared at the ground. "I suppose it couldn't hurt. "

Jane put the book back under her cloak and slid the hood back over her head. "Good. Now, you will need to come to my home, as discreetly as possible. You do realize what my fraternizing with you could do to my career?" Kitty couldn't resist rolling her eyes; Jane caught it. "I will see you in an hour." She slipped Kitty a fragment of paper with an address written on it.

A thought occurred to Kitty. "Ms. Farrar, how did you come across that book?"

Here Jane's poise faltered, just for a moment. She quickly reclaimed her self-confidence. "That does not concern you. What matters is that I have it, and you need it. Good day, Ms. Jones." She silently turned and exited the library.

Kitty checked out her books and walked outside, only to see the last bus of the day pull away. She shrugged her jacket over her shoulders and began the two-block journey back to Mr. Button's home.

Later, boredom left Kitty lounging on the floor, skimming through her books. At the bottom of one page there was a footnote mentioning Bartimaeus (well, one of his many names).

(4) There were many djinn that worked under Ptolemaeus, some of the most notable being Affa (deceased) and Rekhyt (fate uncertain).

Despite herself, Kitty found herself flipping back to the beginning to see the publishing year. If it was anytime recent…. Yes, at the beginning, before the inner title page. She slid her finger down the page, looking for that elusive number: there! It had been originally published in…Wow, a long time ago. But it also said it had been edited and republished ---- this year,_ after _the Glass Palace incident? Kitty bit her lip in nervous excitement. Likely her theory was all in her head, but there was a chance, however slim and footnote-ish, that Bartimaeus had not been killed in the collapse. Moreover, if Bartimaeus might have escaped, then why could not Nathaniel?


	2. Chapter 2

**~Ch. 2~**

_Kitty_

The hour passed quickly. Kitty gathered herself and left for Ms. Farrar's residence. A taxi driver was willing enough to drive her across town to the address she'd been given. After she knocked carefully on the door, Jane opened it a crack. "Ms. Jones."

Kitty raised an eyebrow. "Who else would it be? I didn't exactly have to push through a crowd to get up here."

Jane's eyes tightened almost imperceptibly. "I'm so glad to see you haven't lost your delightful sense of humor since the…. incident." Kitty glared at her but said nothing. "Please, come in. It must be so dreadfully cold outside."

Kitty stepped inside through the doorway. "It's not half as cold as some people's attitude towards me." She looked pointedly at Jane, who disregarded the comment.

"Can we get to the matter at hand?" Jane asked impatiently, gesturing with one hand; it grasped the Egyptian book from their earlier meeting. "I can read what's inside this, if we can cease the pointless talk." It was her turn to stare pointedly at Kitty.

Kitty crossed her arms. "Well, get on with it, then." She had no patience for the magician's ambiguous mannerisms.

Jane slid comfortably onto a couch. "Please take a seat." Kitty sat uncomfortably. Jane eyed her rigidness. "Now, come on, Ms. Jones, I'm not going to bite. We have the same objective, yes?"

Kitty listened to Jane translate the ancient Egyptian to English. The process sounded simple enough. "I think I could do that," she said. "But I'll need someone for the second part."

Jane closed the book and leaned forward. She expressed her approval as best she could: "I thought you might be willing. I will stand with you and work the second part."

"Because you need Mr. Mandrake?" Kitty asked. Jane nodded. "If you don't mind me asking" ---Kitty cringed, unaccustomed to politeness--- "why are you so eager to see Na— Mr. Mandrake?"

Jane suddenly avoided meeting Kitty's eyes. "Some things need clearing up," she muttered. "Besides, I also--- Why am I telling you this? It's none of your business."

Kitty held up her hands in mock innocence. "_Mea culpa_," she articulated sarcastically.

Jane's eyes pierced Kitty's. "We can do it now or never," she bit out. "I'm not going to let you just hang around me all day."

Kitty stood, scowling. "Now, Ms. Farrar, or I'll leave and you can find Mr. Mandrake yourself." This was a bluff, but she performed well. Jane rose also and walked to the other side of a room, where everything was in place for a summoning.

_Bartimaeus_

When Nathaniel dismissed me in the Glass Palace, I had clung to earth until the final tug of the Other Place yanked me away. As I dissolved, I could feel Gladstone's Staff overpowering --- with Nat on one end, pointing it straight at Nouda. I felt the djinn trapped inside the Staff begin to break free.

That was four months ago.1

Now I shifted in the Other Place, comfortable in the chaos. My essence was almost fully healed. The bright colors, ceaseless movement, and disorder would have been perfect. However, there happened to be one small problem.

"Bartimaeus, help me!"

That problem would be Nathaniel. For some reason, when he dismissed me, he followed. It must have had something to do with our sharing a body, because there's no way in Alexandria that I would have brought him here willingly.

"Bartimaeus!"

I walked over to him.2 _How many times do I have to tell you not to use that name? _The small body that was Nathaniel's puppet nodded, expressing a silent apology._ What do you need this time?_

The puppet was lying on the ground. "Something's pulling."

I had noticed it too. _It's not me._

"It hurts."

_Oh, no._ I slowly recognized what the irritating tugging was. I was being summoned. Why he felt it, I wasn't sure.

After a minute or two of struggling3, we let go of the Other Place and dissolved, transported to earth. I must say, I arrived much more stylishly than the boy did. He dropped to his knees with a thump. In contrast, I spiraled upwards, thunder rumbling in dark clouds around my current form, the silver-winged serpent.4

"John!" My presentation screeched to a halt. I suddenly noticed the person standing across from the boy and me. Unfortunately, I recognized her instantly.

"Jane Farrar?" I asked incredulously. The displeased serpent slid back to the ground, its features contorting until it became a distorted image of the hard-faced woman standing across from me.

"Bartimaeus." She spoke a few words to bind me in place5, and she strutted over to Nathaniel, who looked rather peaked from the passing-through. I could hear her whispering to him. As I pointedly ignored them, for the first time I noticed the other figure across from me. It was another girl, with dark hair and pale skin, bent over. I knew her but couldn't seem to place her. Hey, I remember only two people with auras that strong….She looked up once and I identified her.

"Kitty?!" If I had been incredulous before, I was absolutely dumbfounded now. I had pretty much expected to never see her again, since everyone thought I was dead. But I suppose she was too smart to follow the magicians' line of thinking. I always knew there was a reason I liked her.

1 Well, it was three months, two weeks, and six days. But who's counting?

2 Usually there would be no "over" in the Other Place. But since Nathaniel had issues with the lack of structure here, I had to help him out. Like I did with Kitty, I created a small space of a building and a body for myself. I figured that I might as well keep track of the kid.

3 Once again, there's not really any time in the Other Place. It's all sort of strung together. I'm sure I've told you this before.

4 You could practically hear the orchestra screeching some scary music in the background. My magnificence tends to show itself through my form. Hey, I'm nothing if not modest.

5 Not very trusting, that one. Okay, yes, I probably would have devoured her as soon as she moved. But the point remains.

_Kitty_

Kitty heard the thunder begin to rumble after she and Jane spoke. That meant that --- the summoning had been successful? Bartimaeus was alive? She waited for him to materialize.

She could hear a thump and some snakelike hissing. Daring to open her eyes to look across the floor, she saw a pale Nathaniel on the floor (the source of the thump) and a snake with wings in the air (the source of the hissing). The djinni had squeaked Jane's name, but Kitty couldn't see him anymore. She had dropped to her knees, her vision blurring. At first she thought that the Ptolemy's Gate illness was returning, but when she rubbed her eyes, they were wet. She wiped furiously at the tears with the heel of her hand.

Kitty heard, distantly, the djinni call her name. She wiped the tears as best she could and looked up, smiling weakly. "H-hey, Bartimaeus. How'd, uh, _Mandrake_ do?" She remembered to conceal his name since Jane probably shouldn't know it, assuming she didn't already.

The djinni shrugged. "About as well as can be expected. I will say, though, you were better at adapting to the Other Place." The unattractive imitation of Farrar's face grinned. "How are you doing, Kitty? Haven't seen you."

Kitty shifted from her knees to a standing position. "I'm—" Seeing Jane embracing Nathaniel, she choked on her words. "I'm fine."

The djinni seemed to be trying to walk towards her, but Jane's spell held him in place. Kitty muttered the counterwords, and he ambled to her side and sat down. "Natty boy had such trouble in the Other Place," he mentioned nonchalantly. "He didn't know much of anyone besides me. He kept asking to go back to earth. He wanted you to summon us." He raised a suggestive eyebrow. "Just you."

Kitty glared at the djinni. "Tell that to them." She gestured to Jane and Nathaniel.

Jane's face grinned. "Oh, I will." It disappeared, and a wisp of smoke took flight.

"No, wait!" Kitty cried. The fly kept going. This was going to be embarrassing.


End file.
